When the Sakura Stops Falling
by TheMadNovelist
Summary: Tsuzuki's views on Dr.Muraki start to change, when he is sent to retrieve the soul of the man's fiancee Ukyou, set after series end, refereces manga only canon, will be eventual Yaoi MurakixTsuzuki. Teen for now but likely to rise to Mature
1. Chapter 1

**When the Sakura Stops Falling – Chapter one**

It was a typically usual day in Meifu's summons division; the pair of shinigami for area 2 had just been assigned a new case by the chief Konoe. Hisoka the younger of the two was currently reading over the file, to say he was less then thrilled would be an understatement. His partner Tsuzuki was currently staring into space los tin thought about something or other, most likely what desserts he would get on the mission was the most common guess of his colleagues. Their latest assignment would require that they investigate at a small specialist hospital, and if there was one thing which the young green eyes shinigami hated it was: hospitals. The large white buildings gave him the creeps; he hated all the overwhelming negative emotions which would overload his empathic senses. When ever possible he would avoid entering such places which were so heavily laden with the strong emotional fears of other people. In short, Hisoka Kurosaki did not want to enter a hospital ever again in his afterlife. After he'd finished his brief reading session of the details of their case file he gave an audible sigh, there didn't seem to be any way out of this for him. Time to suck it up and get it over and done with he decided closing the file and dropping on his desk with a quiet thump he looked over to his purple-eyed partner. Who still seemed to be in his own world, 'baka' he thought to himself and whacked him around the head lightly to get his attention.

"Heeeeeeey, that's not very nice Hisoka." Said purple eyed shinigami complained in response to the light swat which served its purpose. "What did you have to hit me for? Hisoka isn't being very nice to me today." He continued in a playful tone he only used with his younger partner, no matter how long the teen had been a shinigami Tsuzuki's childish nature meant he couldn't stop tormenting him in some way.

"If you paid more attention to your job then maybe I would not have to treat you like the baka you are." The emerald eyed teen replied feeling a little frustrated. This was one mission he was most defiantly not looking forward to. "It should be straight forward enough right Tsuzuki? I mean we just have to go to the hospital and retrieve the woman's soul right?" his voice started to betray his nerves as he tried not to plead with his partner to let him stay behind at the office. After all Tsuzuki knew more then most the problems entering such buildings could have on the youngest member of the summoning division, even if he had become stronger over the few years they'd been partnered his fears still remained. Muraki's body had never been found after the fire in Kyoto, and his candle still burned brightly and stood tall and proud amongst it's many brethren in the hall of candles as the count would tell him every time he went to ask. With a small understanding smile Tsuzuki ruffled the boys sandy blonde hair gently.

"Yes it shouldn't take us too long, according to the report her spirit is trapped inside her body even though it's past her time. That's why we're being asked to go…" he trailed off mid sentence as he once again appeared to be lost in his thoughts. Quickly shaking his head to clear his mind of whatever was troubling him. "Sorry Hisoka, I just can't shake the feeling that her name is familiar to me some how." He added when he saw the worried expression being sent in his direction by his younger partner, even making a small nervous giggle for effect. Smiling inwardly when this was rewarded with the usual slightly bored and slightly annoyed expression that his usually received from his partner he simply smiled back and grabbed his coat. After all they did have a job to do, and a woman's soul to retrieve for judgement and well the work wasn't going to do itself as they say now was it?

It did not take Tsuzuki very long to track down the hospital where the body of the young woman could be found. The hardest part of the case for him was trying to come up with something that his partner could be doing to help with the investigation whilst he investigated inside of the hospital itself. After arriving in Chijou, the world of the living he had suggested they review the information they had been given and decide on an appropriate course of action for both shinigami to take to achieve the current objectives. They weren't just expected to retrieve the woman's soul, but had been asked to find out whom or what could be the cause of her soul's refusal to pass over. This Tsuzuki decided would be much better for Hisoka to do then accompanying him into the hospital itself and risk his empathy being overloaded. So after suggesting that Hisoka investigate her place of work, which the file stated as Sakura Pharmaceuticals, they had split up to investigate individually. Naturally our favourite amethyst eyed shinigami didn't like hospitals that much either, but he was more experienced at keeping his emotional responses in check after doing this job now for well over seventy years. Straightening his tie, and double checking he had his ever trustworthy ofuda papers in his suit jacket's inner pocket he steeled himself for the task ahead. Double checking discreetly the note with the woman's name he needed as he stood outside the entrance. His nerves starting to fray ever so slightly but he stamped down internally on the feelings and ploughed steadily forward. Through the automatic doors and towards the reception which was currently being staffed by a few young looking girls in nurse's uniform. As he approached the counter one of the girls looked up at him expectantly, waiting to hear what he was there for so she could deal with his request.

"Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering you can help me? I was recently informed that my younger sister was being taken care of here." Considering how young she looked in the photograph they had been given he assumed that claiming to be her older brother would be more convincing then asking for an older relative. Even if according to the file the woman was in her thirties and he had died at twenty-six. Doing his best not to appear nervous he flashed the receptionist a warm smile.

"Name please?" was the simple response to his enquiry, and his smile almost faltered. He'd forgotten to say the woman's name, if Hisoka was there no doubt he'd call him an idiot.

"Oh gomen, its Ukyou Sakuraiji. I was out of the country when she became ill and I've only just now been able to get away from work to visit." He yammered on a little hoping to be as convincing as possible, last thing he wanted the nurse to realise was that she had no siblings. However it appeared that luck was on his side, when the receptionist simply smiled back up at him.  
"Oh of course, she's been with us for just over a month now. Her other visitor said you would probably come to visit soon." The nurse chatted to him, in a pleasant tone. Making the brunette shinigami confused.

"Her other visitor? I wasn't aware she'd had any other visitors." He replied a little dumbly. If this seemed odd to the girl at the reception she didn't show it, turning her attention back to the computer screen.

"Yes, her fiancée has been here practically every day since she was moved here. He specifically requested that if her brother turned up to send you straight through. I'm sorry you couldn't be reunited with your sister under better circumstances, he said you'd been estranged from your family for along time now. Ah yes she's in a private room on the third floor, you just have to take the elevator she's in room 309." Nodding to the young nurse and thanking her for help Tsuzuki followed the directions and now found himself standing outside of the private room numbered 309. The name of the patient residing in the room could be seen written under the door number in a neat hand, but he was still confused. Surely it couldn't of been that easy to fool the staff here? Normally he would have to spin them a small story about how he'd lived abroad for a long time and had flown back home to see them one last time. Being whisked straight through without needing a story of his own was strange, and he still couldn't remember where he had heard the name before. It was on the tip of his tongue but it just wouldn't come out, it as if the piece of information he was searching for had decided to play hide and seek with him inside his mind. Truth be told, he didn't like it but he knew he had more important matters to attend to. Like trying to persuade this fiancée to leave the woman alone with a stranger, he'd gotten lucky that there had been a long lost brother but he doubted the fiancée would believe it was him. No doubt he knew about the family member through photographs, he needed to be careful and act like he belonged and hopefully this would go to plan.

On the other side of the city the young shinigami empath Hisoka Kurosaki wasn't having much luck. Well he was not having much good luck, but he wasn't having a lot of bad luck either. When he'd arrived at the Sakura Pharmaceuticals building the staff behind the large reception had thought he was looking for one of his parents. He'd calmly explained that was not why he was there, and in their errant enthusiasm to help has asked was he looking for a work experience placement. Deciding that this might be a better idea for getting access to more of the building then his original plan, he'd decided to run with it. Wincing internally at the waves of joy which came off the staff and he was vaguely able to translate such feelings to mean they thought he was cute. Which reminded him of Saya and Yuma and he had to repress the sudden violent urge to shudder. After being made to wait around the reception area sitting on a rather comfortable couch and flicking boredly through various out of date publications. After what felt like hours but was only twenty minutes had passed when he was invited for a tour of the large building, which he gladly accepted if only to get away from the magazines and the constant fawning glances of the young receptionist.

Tsuzuki considered knocking, then he lowered his arm and considered just walking in instead, he honestly wasn't sure which would make him seem more like the family member he was pretending to be. However if the fiancée was in fact still there, surely it would be considered rude to simply barge in? He honestly didn't know! Not wanting to look like a statue he had taken to pacing several steps up and down the corridor, unaware that his shadow could be seen passing the door through the frosted glass panel in the door clearly viewable to the room's occupants. Well the one occupant who was actually awake at the present time, the other being in a coma wasn't able to see much of anything other then the dreams of her endless sleep. Completely unaware of the gentle touch of the long pale fingers which softly moved through the long strands of her ebony hair. Before the owner of the hand withdrew his touch having counted the movement of the wandering shadow passing back and forth several times. Now deciding to find out who the shadow actually belonged to, leading to a shock for both parties. A pleasant surprise for one, and a not so pleasant surprise for the other. As mismatched silver and pale blue met with royal purple, and a small smile tugged at the expression of shock currently written on the face of the fiancée the nurse behind reception ad told the shinigami about.

"I've been expecting you." He said simply, calmly, "Although I must thank you for not bringing the boy with you Tsuzuki-san, I am so pleased it is you who has come." Kazutaka Muraki stood in the doorway to the private room, wearing his usual white attire although the suit jacket was missing. Currently draped over the back of a chair along with his coat which was hanging up behind the door. To say Tsuzuki was surprised and shocked to see the doctor alive would have been an understatement, he had hoped that he had died in Touda's flames. "Please there is no need to stand out here gaping so ungraciously like a goldfish taken from it's home in the pond. Do come and sit with me? I know why you are here, I won't try to stop you." Without waiting for the brunette's reply the silvery blonde turned on his heel and went back inside the room, the door closing behind him with a heavy thud. Taking a few minutes to compose himself the purple eyed man slowly followed the doctor into the room, surprised at what he saw. The young woman who looked so full of life in her photograph, was lying unconscious on the hospital bed looking almost devoid of life. She was hooked up to various machines which Tsuzuki didn't recognize or understand the purpose of, but he was Muraki obviously would. After all he was a doctor and a well known surgeon as he had learned during his mission aboard the Queen Camilla. It wasn't all this which surprised him however, what struck him as so strange was the gentle almost loving way the white suited doctor was holding her hand as he stood next to the bed. His hand once against trailing it's fingers through her hair as he had been doing while he waited for the shinigami to come into the room. The pale man's lips were moving as if in a silent prayer and Tsuzuki felt oddly like he was intruding on a private moment which he had no right to witness. However he didn't move, he just stood and watched, as the question which had been bugging him since he received the case file finally clicked.

"It's her isn't it?" he asked quietly unsure if he would be heard, "Back in Kyoto when you forced me to see that Noh play you said somebody called Ukyou had turned you down. Cancelled on you." At first the doctor did not respond, just continued with what ever he was doing, for a moment the shinigami thought maybe he hadn't been heard. He was about to repeat the question when the blonde doctor turned his head to look at him.  
"You would be correct in that assumption. However she is not just somebody, she is my fiancée and I would respectfully ask of you to remember that. I know I don't deserve it, but she is an innocent, she knows nothing of the things I have done. The crimes I have committed. Can you promise me that she won't be punished for her love for me Tsuzuki-san? After all she has done nothing wrong, nothing wrong at all." He returned his gaze to the woman's sleeping face. "Except perhaps for falling in love with me when we first met during our school years." The soft way in which the pale man spoke in regards to the woman in the bed was so unlike how Tsuzuki was used to being addressed by the sorcerer he didn't know how to respond initially. Was it really possible that this was the same man who had pursued him for two years before driving him to attempt a suicide all those months ago in Kyoto beneath the Shion University? He didn't know the answer to that question, but he could answer the doctors and for some reason he felt compelled to do so. After all it wasn't the woman on the bed who had murdered and abused his partner, it wasn't her fault that the sadistic doctor had done what he had done.

"I will talk to the chief on her behalf Muraki but that's all I can do. If she is indeed the innocent soul you tell me she is then you have nothing to worry about, Enma will be fair in his judgment of that you can be certain." He didn't know what else he could do, he didn't even understand why he suddenly felt compelled to reassure this man. The same man whom he had been afraid of for so long, had hated for he had done to his young partner all those years ago, but at the same time had secretly longed to hear his voice again. Even if it was just to mock him all those pick up lines, at least for the first time he had felt wanted by somebody. Even if it was a murderer, he'd still felt wanted and until now hadn't realised how much he'd actually missed it. In a strange cathartic way. Oh how he was glad Hisoka was not here right now, he could never look him in the eye again if the boy found out about the sudden conflicting feelings he was having towards his nemesis. The pale doctor simply nodded and smiled a strained smile.

"Enma must indeed be merciful if he has sent you to be her guiding angel Tsuzuki-san, I've had plenty of time to say my good-byes but still I don't think I'm ready." Pale hands gripped the sheets on the bed tightly, "There are so few people in this world that matter to me, I'm actually afraid. I'm more afraid of watching her die then I was in that black fire of yours… " he paused as he bent his head, and the brunette simply watched, as a solitary tear dropped from a silver eye and splashed onto the material beneath. "I've already undone the spell trapping her soul, I don't want to be here when you do it. You won't be so cruel as to make watch will you?" the stricken doctor asked the other man in the room without looking at him. Was that a slight tremor of fear in the usually arrogant and confident voice he was hearing?

"No, as much as I'd want to make you hurt for all the things you've done. I wouldn't use her to do it. Answer me one question before you go, and I promise to do everything I can for her, something I've wanted to know for a long time." Tsuzuki responded still standing by the door, in effect blocking the doctor's exit route. There was silence as the grieving form of a man who knew the only one to ever show him love, quite possibly the only one who could was about to leave his life forever, slowly stood and retrieved his suit jacket. Giving a curt nod say it was alright and he would answer. "What I want to know Muraki, is why you've always been able to see us. Most mortals don't know we exist, they are not supposed to know. Do you even know why yourself?" This was obviously not the question the man in white had been expecting, and he looked over to the bed one last time before looking back to Tsuzuki and sighed.

"I trained myself to be able to see spirits, my dear Ukyou however has always been able to see them. She was my inspiration for learning magic, I wanted to help her and it seemed to be the only way. The boy would likely understand better then you, what it's like to be rejected for having an ability beyond your control. However I think you know just as well as I how painful it is to be treated differently simply because me and you are different. For what it's worth I loved her, and she loved me and I know I have to let her go and I need to go now before I change my mind and decide I can't. Please Tsuzuki-san I know you are merciful, please just this once? Take pity on a lost soul like me?" The raw emotion in the other's voice left the shinigami confused and unsure of himself, he'd never known the doctor was capable of such feelings. Had no idea there could be such a gentle side to his personality, then again all he'd ever been privy to was the man's lusts and lunacy. Perhaps his fiancée was part of the reason that the man simply seemed to refuse to die? He knew he'd said he'd let the man go if he answered his question and he was bound by his word but he found himself wanting to know more. With a heavy heart he stepped aside and found himself pulling the long white coat from the hook on the door and handing it to the grieving man. Yes he was indeed a lost soul, he'd thought so himself when they'd first met. That Muraki was far too idealistic for the harsh realities of a career in medicine, but now he wondered if he had judged the man wrongly? There was only one way to find out, he'd have to get the man to agree to meet him again.

"Muraki-san?" he addressed the doctor as he was about to open the door, he seemed surprised by the respectful use of honorific coming from the purple eyed man.

"Yes Tsuzuki-san what is it?" he stopped, wanting to hear what the other had to say. Even as a voice in the back at his mind was screaming at him to leave, to go before he tried to interfere in what had to be done.

"I'd like to know more about her, your fiancée about the two of you. Would you be prepared to let me? To tell me I mean…" he was cut off by a pale finger pressing against his lips.

"Naturally I would be delighted that would take such an interest in my life Tsuzuki-san, but now is not the time. I need to grieve for her, and I'm sure the boy wouldn't approve of the two of us having dinner dates just t discuss my past. However if you are indeed serious I'll give you my card, give me a call and I'll make sure to get back to you. Now if you'll excuse me I have the unpleasant task of informing her remaining family." The shinigami took the small rectangle of card and placed it into one of the pockets of his trousers. Then simply watched the other man, leave the room, holding the door open so he could watch the slowly retreating form. He sighed and ran a hand through his dark brown hair, he had a job to do and he to had an unpleasant task ahead of him. A small nervous voice behind him caught his attention.

"Has Kazu-kun left?" the female voice said behind him and he turned round to see the woman's spirit standing next to the window of the small room. Her back to her unconscious body.

"Yes I'm sorry, but he's gone now. I'm here to guide to you to the next place." He tried to be gentle in his tone of voice, he didn't want to upset or scare her too much. The woman simply stood by the window as if she was watching something vitally important without moving at all, it was like seeing a projected image of the woman in the coma.

"You're Tsuzuki-kun right?" she asked turning around and smiling, "Kazu-kun told me about you while I was sleeping. He told me you would take me to my next life and that I would be safe with you." She took a step towards him moving daintily more like a young girl then the woman in her thirties that she really was. "Please watch over him for me? Oriya-kun will probably be mad with him for a long time, and I know he doesn't have many friends." The shinigami merely nodded, and she smiled again even though she seemed to be on the verge of tears. "I'm ready Tsuzuki-kun." She told him simply and held out an hand for him to take, even in death any man's touch apart from Kazutaka's frightened her, but her Kazu-kun had told her she was safe with this man. This guardian of death, and she trusted the doctor, even in death. She held onto Tsuzuki's trench coat tightly as he teleported them to Meifu. Both figures completely unseen by the hospital staff that had ran into the room in response to the flat line being reported by the life support machine. Completely unaware of the exchange moments before as they futilely tried to revive her comatose form. Outside the building a man dressed in white looked over his shoulder at the hospital his eyes searching for the room that was once his Ukyou's, feeling as if he was being watched. Seeing nothing he turned away, trying to ignore the feeling, and the sudden emptiness he felt within his heart. As he walked away he fished his phone from his pocket, and called his ever faithful butler Sakaki to pick him up. As he waited sitting on a bench in a nearby park he thought back to his conversation with his beloved shinigami, and hoped he had meant what he had said.


	2. Chapter 2

**When the Sakura Stops Falling – chapter 2**

It had been just over a month since Tsuzuki and Hisoka had been sent to retrieve the soul of Ukyou Sakuraiji, true to his word the purple eyed shinigami had spoken to his chief privately. Just as he told Muraki he would do, Konoe had been surprised at first but had patiently listened. Of all the employees in the summoning division it was Konoe who knew Tsuzuki the best, and he knew how important it was to the man that those who were innocent didn't suffer. Naturally Hisoka had been upset that his partner had instead of waiting for him at the agreed rendezvous point and time had instead returned to Meifu on his own. He was even more annoyed to discover upon his own eventual return after searching aimlessly for his older more experienced partner to find he had solved and closed their case. Which basically meant he had been dragged all over the offices, been fawned over and ogled by various women who reminded him of the dreaded Hokkaido shinigami Saya and Yuma for well, nothing. It had a taken a week for him finally calm down and start talking to his co-worker again, and even then it had taken an intervention from the feared secretary who controlled the wages with an iron fist, Tatsumi. So while he was still a little annoyed about being ditched, he also respected the shadow master a lot more and redoubled his efforts to put up with his idiot of a partner. Even if he had been more distracted recently then he usually was, and his empathy kept telling him something was wrong he knew the older male wouldn't tell him. Nothing really new there then he thought to himself as he finished up a report on the last routine mission they had been sent on. Looking over to see his partner staring off into space, such events had become increasingly more common the green eyes shinigami had noted. If he wasn't staring off into space he could be seen staring at an ever-present piece of card with a wistful expression, only to pocket it when he realised he'd been spotted. As such nobody in the office knew what the card meant, but they were certain it was linked to what was bothering their co-worker who was currently in Tatsumi's office.

"Tsuzuki-san I've been aware for some time now that there is something bothering you, something which seems to be distracting you from your work." Icy blue eyes, regarded him over the large desk which dominated the secretaries office.

"It's nothing honestly Tatsumi I'm fine. Thanks for being concerned about me but I'll be alright honestly." The older shinigami's natural instinct to try and placate his former partner came out in full force. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the concerns of those he worked with; it was more a case of he felt a little guilty. Guilty for feeling sympathy for a man who he felt he really shouldn't be feeling sorry for, and he doubted Tatsumi would understand even if they were good friends. The shadow master wasn't so easily fended off however, his expression becoming more serious as he raised a hand to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose. A habit which meant he was getting annoyed or he was feeling unsure of himself. Unfortunately there was never a way to tell which it meant until it was too late, in the cases where he was annoyed.

"Tsuzuki…" he replied in a quiet but deadly serious tone, "We've known each other for quite some time now. Naturally as your co-worker I have an active interest in your welfare, but I also worry for your well being as a friend. Young Kurosaki-kun does so as well, it's not fair to keep things from him, he is your partner and you need to be able to work together as a team." The brown suited man paused, to reflect on what had already been said. This wasn't supposed to be a reprimand there were no rules against employees keeping private matters to themselves after all. He eyed the other man sitting across from him, and sighed to himself. Busying himself with tidying up a slightly chaotic stack of paperwork on his desk as the silence became thick inside the small room. Trying to avoid the inevitable appearance of an inu-tsuzuki which normally followed anyone showing they cared, and this time was no exception.

"Tatsumi is really worried about me?" the purple eyed guardian of death asked in a child-like tone of voice. Sure enough when Tatsumi raised his gaze he was greeted with the sight of a chibi Tsuzuki with white dog ears, tail and even paws. "Tatsumi is a really good friend to me that makes me really happy!" he chattered on to himself happily as Tatsumi tried to suppress a small smile as he watched him bounce out of his office into the main work space of the summoning division. Once in the main working area the chibi brunette quickly made his way over to his partner and sat down at his deck with a happy expression. Hisoka didn't need to have seen the older man to know he was there because the man's happiness was pouring off of him in waves.

"What has gotten into you all of a sudden?" he asked disinterestedly, he really just wanted the other to calm a little bit. The strength of his emotions was coming off a little strong for his empathic senses to handle. Unlike others in their place of work who found it endearing when Tsuzuki got like this, the youngest member of the summoning division found it out right annoying. Not to mention distracting. He scowled at the taller man as he continued to stare off into space, humming happily to himself and decided he had had enough for one day. "Baka!" he snapped, "I'm going to do some research in the library, stay away from me until you've calmed down." Without waiting for a reply or any kind of response the teenaged guardian of death stiffly got up and stormed out of the main work space.

ooOOoo

Meanwhile back down on Chijou a certain silvery blonde doctor was sitting alone in his home in Tokyo, a glass of wine in one elegant hand and a phone in the other. The handset was currently being held away from his ear, the voice of the person on the end of the line clearly audible regardless. As they shouted and hurled insults and accusations at him, none of which he tried to refute or defend himself from. He had expected such a reaction from his other surviving school friend.

"You really are piece of work Muraki! You know that don't you?" Oriya raged down the phone at the doctor, "Ukyou and I searched high and low for you before you miraculously appeared on my door step. Only for you to take off again once you regained consciousness and now after the poor thing is dead and buried. Now you call me and ask for my help?" the wakadanna of the Kokakurou had put up with many things from the white clad man but he really was not in the mood for any more of his games. "Why can you not let it go? It's over everything was destroyed in that fire forget about him for your own sake. Please Muraki I'm asking you to let it go as your friend. There is no need to continue on like this."

ooOOoo

Tsuzuki felt a little guilty about driving his partner away from his desk, but he really needed to see the chief and he desperately did not want Hisoka of all his co-workers to find out the truth. Over the past month since that fateful mission he'd been talking to his boss Chief Konoe in the strictest confidence about the young woman's case. So far it would appear fate hadn't made a liar out of him and for that he was grateful but it still left one other more pressing problem. He couldn't stop thinking about the doctor. Couldn't stop dwelling on how different he had acted, how human he had been. So he went to the one person in the whole of Meifu he felt he could trust no matter what, Konoe.

Even if the chief did occasionally give him a hard time over small things, he'd still known him longer then anyone else he worked with. It was with these thoughts running through his head that he found himself standing outside the chief's office. Knocking lightly on the door, he waited patiently to be invited in. It wasn't long before the familiarly gruff voice of the chief came filtering through the wood.

"Come in!" the pale blue suited shinigami shouted as he became aware there was somebody waiting to see him. A few moments later he was met with the site of rather sombre looking Tsuzuki looking at him imploringly from the door frame. "Aaah! Tsuzuki, come in come in. Please sit down, tell me what is bothering you? This isn't about that woman you came to be about is it? I've already told you, I have spoken with the count and he's met with Lord Enma…"

"Actually chief it's about Muraki-san; I know he has caused us a lot of problems, myself especially. Not to mention his history with Hisoka, but I can't help thinking that maybe we can use this situation. Perhaps I could… I mean perhaps we could persuade him to focus on being a doctor again? On saving lives like he obviously once believed in, instead of destroying them." The purple eyed shinigami had moved quickly from his position by the door way as the chief had been talking. Cutting his superior off in mid sentence to make his case for what he wanted to, hands slammed down on the piece of office furniture in a display of seriousness and strength which was most unlike him. Even if he was the only shinigami to have achieved the feat of controlling twelve shikigami. So unusual it was for Tsuzuki to be witnessed having a moment of such a serious nature even Konoe was taken aback. Firstly because the shikigami user was infamous in Meifu for his happy go lucky slacker attitude towards work and secondly, since when had Tsuzuki ever used an honorific when referring to Muraki? This was what was currently preoccupying the older man's thoughts.

"Tsuzuki I'm not sure I understand what it is you are asking me to do here." Konoe straightened his tie a little unsure of himself. "It is true we have been aware of the Muraki family for some time now. They are a fine lineage of doctors if somewhat willing to bend the rules and take risks to further medical knowledge." He paused to check his coffee cup for any remaining dregs of coffee only to come up empty. "From what I have seen the latest and most likely now the last of their line. Is more daring then his predecessors, and given his obsession with you I fail to see what you think you can do."

"It's precisely because he is so fixated on me that I think if anyone could snap him out his delusions it would be me." The younger man replied, following his boss out of the office to the break room where he was hoping to get a refill on his coffee. "Before I saw him in the hospital I never would of believed for a moment that he could have feelings for anyone. You should of see him… he looked so lost, I've never known him to be anything but confident. He always has control, he's manipulative to a fault and he never gets scared, not even when I tried to destroy us both." He paused in his argument as they entered the break room not wanting to say something in front of a certain pair of co-workers he didn't want to know about his current thought processes.

"Be that as it may, I still do not see a reasonable justification to send you to Tokyo to keep tabs on him. He is not in your jurisdiction, and how can we possibly be sure it is not a trap?" The chief continues to argue with his employee against the idea, pouring himself a fresh cup of coffee and motioning for the other man to join him at the table of the empty room. "You know the rules better then most Tsuzuki, shinigami have to work in pairs."

"To keep an eye on each other, to make sure that they don't interfere with the loved ones they have left behind." Tsuzuki finished for him with a sigh. "But it's not like I can tell Hisoka about this chief he'll hit me and tell me I'm an idiot." He whined resorting back to his chibi-inu form. "And Tatsumi won't agree to help me either, please chief is there no way you can get me some sort of special permission?" he pleaded with his boss giving him the puppy eyes look for full effect. Unfortunately for him, Konoe had known him far to long now to be seriously effected by this and continued drinking his coffee with a thoughtful expression.

"There is nothing I can do, but you could always ask the count if he would help you? It's well known he is awfully of fond of you." Konoe rubbed his chin as he considered any over options which might be open to his employee. "Other then that all I can suggest is that you find some way to involve young Kurosaki in this, or find somebody else who can partner with you then come back to me. Now if you'll excuse me I have important work to be getting on with back in my office." Before the other shinigami could say another word the higher ranking of the two abruptly stood and left. Leaving the younger of the two feeling rather dejected as he remembered his meeting with the doctor back in the small hospital. Feeling defeated he stayed seated at the small table with his head in his hands, unaware of the passage of time until a young voice broke him out of his self imposed contemplation.

"Thought I would find your lazy ass in here baka." Hisoka scolded his partner as he entered the room, on his way back from his time in the library. "It's a good job we're not on a case at the moment or Tatsumi would be on your case by now. Come on I'll walk back to our work station with you so it won't look odd that neither of us were at our desks ok?" The green eyes teen barely gave his brunette partner a chance to respond never mind react before he started to make his way for the door. His empathy clearly indicating that the other shinigami was troubled by something or other, but that was nothing new considering he'd been sensing such feelings for the past month. Besides he had already decided to wait for his partner to come to him for help and he was going to stick to that. Trailing behind him looking very much the part of death warmed up in his trademark black suit and white shirt with black tie, Tsuzuki mumbled something himself incoherently before he brightened up. Hisoka's talk about being reprimanded for not being at his desk had given him an idea, now all he had to do was get the crazy scientist shinigami known to most of Meifu was Watari to agree to help him.

"Erm, Hisoka? Can you cover for me a little longer I just remembered something really important I need to ask Watari about. So I'm going to swing by his lab. Thanks you're the best partner a guy like me could ask for." He didn't leave any room for protests, simply mussing the smaller male's hair and running off down the corridor in the direction of the lab, and Watari. 


	3. Chapter 3

**When the Sakura Stops Falling – chapter 3**

It didn't take long for the brunette shinigami to reach the laboratory where his co-worker Watari would be found no doubt trying to figure out why his latest invention had suddenly started to smoke. Or maybe he would be pouring over some arcane text trying to discover some new potion to try out on his unsuspecting friends and co-workers alike. The one and only thing you could be sure of when dealing with the genki would be engineer turned scientist after his death would be to expect anything and everything to happen when he was around. Slowing down from his job to a power walker's pace he cautiously approached the door which was marked as the entrance to the dreaded lab where he was hoping he could persuade his friend to help him on his latest endeavour. The purple eyed guardian of death slowed down to a stand still and stood staring at the door as if it would suddenly spring to life and tell him whether or not it would be safe to go inside. Of course being a door there was no way it could do such a thing, but he decided he might suggest it to his blond friend as a new invention he could work on. Talking doors which would inform you if the person you were looking for was in their office did seem rather useful. With his mind pondering the ins and the outs of such a project he raised a hand to lightly knock on the reinforced door leading to the lab when a rather large crash was heard coming from the other side. Concerned for the welfare of a colleague and not in the least bit worried about his one chance to get assistance for his scheme to turn his nemesis into a good person again he forgo knocking and just burst through the door.

The sight which greeted him on the other side of the hinged piece of wood was of a large and very messy room which had become even more unorganized then usual. Stood in the centre of the wreckage more commonly known as Watari's lab stood the blonde engineer turned scientist himself. His normally tamed wavy locks standing to attention in all directions covered in as much soot as the rest of him and the surrounding room. Obviously what ever he had been tinkering with had just blown up, in his face.  
"Well that didn't work now did it 003?" he casually talked to his pet owl completely unaware of the other shinigami's presence as he cleaned the soot from his glasses blinking blindly as he did so. "Now what did I do with my notes?" once the spectacles where usable and perched back on the bridge of his nose he set about searching through wreckage for his notepad. Until he was stopped in his tracks by the hooting of his feathery friend who was flying around Tsuzuki's head in greeting causing Watari to look up and finally realise he had a visitor. With grand sweeping gestures the genki blonde cleaned off the nearest stool and half walked half bounced over to his colleague gesturing that he should in fact sit down and not be worried at all by the results of his failed experiments. This offer was nervously accepted and the brunette cautiously perched himself upon the offered stool and braced himself for the item of furniture collapsing from under him. Relaxing after it held steady for a few minutes giving his attention to the small avian creature now sitting on his shoulder and hooting happily down his left ear. He raised his hand to gently pat the creature on it's feathered head and watched with curiosity as his friend rummaged around through soot covered books and paperwork having a eureka moment when he found the pad in question.

"Still no luck with your potion Watari?" Tsuzuki asked conversationally, if truth be known he dreaded each and every day the blond shinigami thought he'd finally come up with the correct formula. As did most of the employees in the summoning division most of who had ended up as an unfortunate guinea pig at one point of other in then afterlife. 003 hooted an affirmative before flying off around Watari's head and then finally setting on a perch near the lab window where he set about preening the feathers of his left wing and left the two men to their discussion. Upon receiving a rather exasperated look in response to his question the purple eyed god of death realised he must have said the wrong thing and quickly back peddled. "Erm… Yeah that was a dumb question really sorry. What were you working on just now then?" quickly trying to change the topic before the mood in the room went against him. If he was to put his plan into action he needed to keep the scientist on side. For a few minutes the only sound in the room was the scrunching up of random pieces of paper and a few choice curses not all of which were in Japanese and as such Tsuzuki didn't recognise them. Eventually he got a response just not the sort of response he was expecting.

"Oh nothing much it's just a piece of junk really" the normally bouncy blonde sniffed slightly, "I figured if I couldn't get my gender switching potion to work maybe I could simply invent a machine to allow men to understand women instead…" he trailed off absent minded as he turned to rummage through another pile of books and papers. "It was a stroke of genius I thought! Even better then my original idea, I mean yes you would understand women while you were one but what about when you swapped back? You'd forget it all again." From his perch on the somewhat sturdy stool Tsuzuki just nodded and smiled and gave the occasional murmur he of acknowledgement. "I was just testing it moments before you arrived don't you know?"

"I did wonder what had exploded now you mention it." The brunette replied thoughtfully.  
"It didn't blow up Tsuzuki! It more… well … it committed suicide on me." The blonde retorted in a matter of fact fashion. "I had it working fine this morning. Carried out all my initial tests to make sure the AI was functional but when I asked it to help me understand a woman's mind it shut down on me. So Naturally I switched it back on and then it entered self destruct mode, I can't for the life of me figure out why." There was a clatter as a small pile of paperwork and note books were dropped into a large metal container which served as the laboratory waste paper bin, owing to the sheer amount of paper which Watari threw away relating to his failed endeavours. With an audible sigh he searched around for the other stool he knew was hiding under one of the many desks somewhere and dragged it over the floor to sit next to his colleague and friend. "Enough of that eh? Tell me what brings you down here to see me; it's been a while since I've had any visitors save for Tatsumi summoning me to the Chief's office."

"Well now that you ask Watari I kind of need a favour, and it's really really important that you don't tell Hisoka about it, I'd be really grateful if you could help." The brunette flashed his best pleading puppy eyed look he could muster and hoped he wouldn't have to do too much persuading.

"Lie to Bon?" the longer haired shinigami looked positively shocked, "But he's you're partner… he's not in trouble is he? Is that's what this is about? Has that dam blasted doctor been sniffing around him again has he?" On the last question Watari had stood up, rolled his lab coat sleeves up to his elbows and started to march towards the door causing Tsuzuki to have to jump off his seat and grab him by the arm to stop him leaving.

"Watariiiiii" the brunette whined for effect, instantly gaining the desire result, "Hisoka is safe but it does involve Muraki-san. That's why you can't tell him anything." He loosened his grip slightly on the other man's arm and prayed he wouldn't dash out of the room to fetch the Chief, or worse Tatsumi. Sensing something was seriously troubling his friend Watari stopped in his onward march and looked the other male over with a clinical expression.

"I think you better tell me exactly what has been going on, you've been acting weird ever since you and Bon got sent on that mission to retrieve that woman's soul from that hospital in Nagasaki." The stern tone and look in the amber coloured eyes told the purple eyed brunette he had better comply he wanted to gain the trust and assistance he had come here for.

ooOOoo

After a long and tedious explanation of the events from Nagasaki and then some further tedious pleading and bargaining both Tsuzuki and Watari found themselves later that night standing outside of the Kokakurou restaurant. The former taking the lead as they approached the entrance taking it upon himself to knock on the front door expecting it to be opened by one of the girls who worked there. Instead both shinigami were greeted by the impressive site of the tall muscular long haired brunette owner, Oriya Mibu. Both men immediately recognized each other from the time Muraki had invited Tsuzuki to come with him for a meal and had been chastised. Oriya mistaking the purple eyed man for a male prostitute. Just like the last time their paths crossed he didn't appear to be too impressed or pleased to see him for that matter.

"I already told you once already we do not allow kagema in this establishment, Muraki is an old friend but even he is not allowed to break the rules of my house. Now kindly leave and take your client with you." The tall kimono clad male went to close the door only to have his progress stopped by another's hand holding it open with surprising strength.

"I know you are Muraki-sans friend, and that you both attended the same college along with his fiancée Ukyo Sakuraiji, who died recently and I also know he's likely to be here. Please I need to speak to him and I am not a male prostitute just because he is attracted to me doesn't make me that sort of person." The words came out stiffly, twice now he'd been practically called a whore by this man but if he was to find out anything which might tell him why Muraki had changed from the man who cared deeply about the preservation of life and became a man who destroyed it for his own pleasure he would need a link to the man's past. Oriya Mibu the man standing before him was the only known link he had to work on. Dark brown eyes watched him impassively as he stood there holding the door open, before appraising the blonde standing behind him. Now he looked at the other man properly he felt that he recognized him from somewhere but he wasn't sure where from. With little effort he pushed past Tsuzuki and approached the seemingly bored blonde in the lab coat standing at the bottom of the stairs staring up at the sky, leaving the brunette to bristle at his ignorance.

"I know you from somewhere." Oriya stated simply. It wasn't a question more a statement of a fact they both should already be aware of but yet they weren't quite fully aware of it. In the quiet moment which passed between the three of them the head of the Mibu family fished his beloved and ever present pipe out from the folds of his kimono and lit it, taking a deep intake of breath. Holding it momentarily before releasing it, watching the way the smoke flowed in the night between them as if it held life's answers and death's mysteries. "The kid." He said finally with a smile. "You came with the kid for the key cards to save your friend from mine. Tell me, did you manage to rescue him?" Of course Oriya already knew that Muraki's plan had been foiled but he wanted to hear it from this partial stranger. Stranger in the sense he didn't know who he was yet they'd met before however briefly, but it was a different man who had spoken for him back then. For both him and the kid with skill with the blade. At first Watari seemed surprised that the restaurant owner was talking to him and not Tsuzuki and gave him a small apologetic smile directed at where he was standing next to the open front door.  
"Well yes we did actually, had to save him more from himself then you're… Erm… friend yes. He's standing next to the door up on the steps; I believe you and him are already acquainted?" Watari replied jovially pointing to the amethyst eyed man who was leaning against the door frame looking particularly fed up. Both men looked in the direction the finger was pointing in and Oriya nodded in acknowledgement.  
"It would appear I was mistaken in my assumptions, for that I apologise. However I do not want to see him on my property again, if he wants to go chasing Muraki that's his business not mine. I shall bid you both a pleasant evening." With those words spoken the business owner turned to take his leave only stopped when the blonde shinigami tried to question him further on the doctor's whereabouts.

"But you do know where we could find your friend? I take it he's not with you at the moment from what you've said." Watari's words caused Oriya to stop on his way back inside his back to the blonde but he could tell that the question was more for the benefit of the purple eyed man on the stairs then for the questioner. So it was to Tsuzuki that he directed his reply.

"Ukyo was a dear friend to me long before she and Kazutaka were engaged to be married; she was really very much in love with him and him with her. She was the only woman to make him forget about the photograph he found in his grandfather's study and I do not know what made him remember you again but I know this. He was better off without you! Whatever he is, and whatever he's done in the past was done to get your attention and for what?" as he spoke he moved deliberately and carefully keeping the shinigami pinned in his chocolate gaze, "He moved her to that hospital deliberately to see you again, if you ask me he gave up on her for you. For the sake of seeing you one last time, and as to the purpose of your visit. No he is not here. I've only spoken to him once since the funeral you want him then you will have to go to Tokyo, go to his work book an appointment I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see you again. Now kindly leave me be in my grief for a dearly departed friend if you have any decency in you at all." The last sentence was spoken in a harsh whisper as Oriya finally came to stand next to the man he was addressing his speech towards. Tsuzuki sheepishly moved away from the door to let the other pass by, after all it was his home, his livelihood he had no right to block his entrance.

"Mibu-san, please understand I didn't know who she was when I was sent to that hospital, I wasn't expecting to see him there. Nor was I expecting to see him acting so humane towards another living thing, I think he has a chance at redemption surely as his friend you want that for him too?" to his credit Tsuzuki managed to keep his voice calm and his tone steady, he felt he deserved whatever this man wanted to throw at him. However he still felt obliged to try regardless. He just wished he could understand his own motivations and why he had changed so much because of one chance meeting.  
"She was indeed a remarkable woman, if anyone could have tamed the darkness within his heart it was her but she is gone now. Although I feel it would be fitting if you were to try, even though I feel no good would come of it." There was a pause followed by a tired sigh, "Wait here, I'll get you his contact details but this is last I wish to see of you is that understood?" Tsuzuki only had a few seconds to nod his consent before the other disappeared back into the building in a furry of colour, the sound of his traditional wooden sandals echoing off the wooden flooring. Before that too grew silent leaving both shinigami standing in the twilight of the front courtyard, Watari busy admiring the building and the star filled sky. The silence lasted only a few minutes before the echoing sound re-emerged down the hallway growing loader signalling the owner's return in his hand was a piece of paper neatly folded he held it out to the purple eyed brunette who took it gingerly. As if he was scared Oriya might attack him and reveal it was all an elaborate ploy and Muraki has been waiting for him all along.  
"Thank-you." He stated rather dumbly. The long haired brunette simply nodded with a pained forced smile.

"That's all the contact information I have. His home phone, work phone and personal cell phone. Home address and work addresses. He has his own practise but he still helps out at the hospital from time to time." He reached out and grabbed hold of Tsuzuki's coat in a swift cat like gesture, "Now before you go shinigami I have one thing I need to make clear. Muraki is more then the man you know, hurt him and I will have to hunt you down and I don't care if I have to find away to break into the afterlife to do it. Do I make myself clear?" The only thing Tsuzuki could do was nod nervously; if Muraki didn't scare him then his best friend certainly was capable of instilling fear into him. Satisfied with the response Oriya let his grip on the other's coat go and watched impassively as he hastily made his way back to his colleague's side. Closing the door only after seeing them both vanish before his eyes, after which he retreated to his own private room and leant back against the door now separating him from the hubbub of the restaurant. Part of him feeling a weight had been lifted, and the rest concerned he might of made the biggest mistake of his life so far. His gaze fell on his private phone and he made his way over to the large desk occupying the space where the handset currently resided and picked it up, dialling the number which he knew off by heart. It rang, once, then twice before somebody picked up and a voice answered.

"Hello?" Back in Tokyo Muraki had been reading in his living room when the phone had started ringing, without bothering to check the caller ID he had simply picked it up. However he got no response when he answered so he tried again, "Hello? Who is calling please?" Again he received no answer, shrugging he hung up. He'd not been sleeping much since Ukyou's funeral and decided he must have imagined the whole thing. This in itself was rather troubling, with a languid stretch he decided that there was no time like the present to try and catch up on his much needed sleep.

Hearing his long time friend's voice answer the call Oriya uncharacteristically lost his nerve and said nothing, listening as the other's voice asked for the caller's identity then waited before hanging up. He sighed to himself, they hadn't been on good terms recently but it was hardly surprising the amount of trouble the doctor caused for him and everyone around him. Alas he couldn't trouble himself with such personal problems when he had a business to run and customers to greet and business deals to seal, so he put on his usual impassive mask and steeled himself for the night ahead. Leaving all thoughts of his two dearest friends, one departed and one still amongst the living but for how long he couldn't be sure, behind in hi personal rooms and went out to the restaurant to play his role as the gracious host. Just as he always had since the day he inherited the place from his father.


	4. Chapter 4

**When the Sakura Stops Falling – chapter 4**

The weeks following the funeral had passed by in a blur while at the same time passing agonisingly slowly for Dr. Muraki due to his bereavement because of which he had been granted leave from his position at the hospital in Tokyo for as long as he needed. At the time accepting the offer had seemed like a good idea, but now the doctor wasn't so sure. With each passing day he felt the hole in his life left by his fiancées passing all the more, each day he waited by the phone hoping for the promised phone call. Every time a phone would ring he would eagerly drop whatever he was doing to rush to answer it, checking the caller ID in hopes it would be his beloved shinigami. His heart sinking in his chest when he discovered it wasn't. As consequence he'd taken to simply answering the phone without looking in a vain attempt to starve off the impending disappointment which was becoming a far too familiar acquaintance in his life. It did not help, but he was far to stubborn to admit to the painful thoughts that maybe just maybe Tsuzuki had been lying, that perhaps this was the amethyst eyed death god's way of avenging himself. By using the man's feelings for him as a weapon, he had been pondering these possibilities whilst sitting in the dark most nights. Even the expensive wines he was so fond of had begun to lose their allure, he couldn't stop thinking about Ukyou. How he had failed her. He hadn't meant for anything to actually befall the woman, he'd genuinely thought he would be keeping her safe from harm by staying away. Feeling anxious he lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply, feeling the familiar sting of the tobacco smoke as it filled his lungs savouring it for a few seconds before skilfully exhaling it in an almost perfect smoke ring. He watched the ring of smoke dissipate and sighed to himself, Ukyou had always been impressed by the smoke rings. Growling to himself out of annoyance he stubbed the not even half burnt tobacco tube out in the nearest ashtray and rose from his chair before storming out of the living room seeking solace in his study. Hoping to lose himself in the files and papers left behind by both his father and his grandfather who had both been doctors before him. He'd just slammed the door to the large room shut behind him when the landline began to ring, looked at the clock and scowled when he saw that it was past ten o'clock in the evening. Who could possibly be calling at this time of night? The pale sorcerer stared at the phone accusingly, as if it had been apart of some secret conspiracy against him before deciding to answer it.

"The Muraki residence, Kazutaka Muraki speaking. To whom am I speaking?" he answered stiffly but managed to keep the annoyance and frustration out of his voice for which he was glad. He waited a few moments for the caller to respond but he didn't get a reply. "Oriya? Is that you?" he enquired. True enough his friend had not been on speaking terms with him for the past few weeks so it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the other man was ringing to try and reconcile their differences. It wouldn't be the first time they'd made up by telephone either, in fact he could think of plenty of times throughout their long friendship where they had called each other up to apologise. Both men far too proud to do it in person for fear of looking weak in the eyes of others. When he still gained no response he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, an unconscious habit for when he was evaluating a situation. If it was indeed Oriya then he would have said something or hung up by now which meant that the caller had to be somebody else who had managed to get his number, but the only person he had knowingly given his phone number to was Tsuzuki. "Tsuzuki-san if you're there you can talk to me I can hardly to anything to you over the phone line. There is no need to be so shy." His tone was hopeful, the idea it could be some unknown person worried him slightly. Unfortunately his third line of enquiry was met with the phone being hung up; he looked at the hand set sadly. Yes he was a patient man, he'd wait if he had to but he didn't know how long he could cope with the waiting. Subconsciously he reached into his trouser pocket for his wallet and the copy of the photograph it contained.

ooOOoo

Back in Meifu Watari and Tsuzuki had returned safely from their trip to Kyoto yesterday to find that Hisoka had been looking all over the ministry of Hades for him. The shinigami teen had demanded an explanation of where he had disappeared to and the brunette was at a loss for what he could tell his partner. The three of them had been stood in of the main corridors while Asato as floundered for an explanation he'd almost given in and told the truth when Watari jumped in to his rescue. The blonde engineer turned mad scientist instantly getting the younger blondes full attention with his bouncy and eager demeanour. If truth be told the excuse that he came up with wasn't exactly the best cover story in the world, its main genius lay in that if anyone else had said it to Hisoka he wouldn't of believed a word of it.

Now both the genki blonde with his constant avian companion 003 and the sweet loving shikigami master were sitting in the latter's rented room staring at the piece of paper he'd been given in Kyoto and the small business card he had been given back at the Nagasaki hospital. The business card only contained Muraki's name, job title and a cell phone number, in comparison to the written note which contained the same number along with what appeared to a house number. Underneath in the wakadanna's neat handwriting were two addresses labelled respectively as Muraki: Home, and Muraki: Work. Taking the business owner at his word Tsuzuki and Watari had gone to the hospital first thing that morning to try as Oriya had put it, make an appointment. Only to be told that Muraki was still on compassionate leave after the death of his long term fiancée, the news had been like a hammer blow to the purple eyed man. As was typical of him he was starting to feel responsible for how the savage doctor was feeling, after all he had been one who had retrieved her soul. It had been him who had taken by the hand and led her to the judgement bureau all the time listening to her talking about how she worried how her beloved Kazu-kun would cope without her. Especially if Oriya stopped talking to him permanently and he patiently listened to her praise of his abilities as a doctor all the time having to hold his tongue. He couldn't stand hearing how noble the man was, how selfless he was with his time or how he was especially good with children. All he could think about was Hisoka and the encounter the emerald eyed boy had been unfortunate to have with the silver blonde man when he was just thirteen.

It had been at his friend's encouragement that he had decided it was about time he made that call to the pale man. If he was to try and help the other find some sort of redemption he had to keep to his word, which was the whole point wasn't it? He truly believed that every person could be redeemed no matter how evil they were or had been if only they were prepared to work for it. So he had called his heart thumping in his chest with ever ring and then the rings had stopped and that silky voice that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end whenever he heard it had come through the receiver and he had frozen completely. It had sounded so easy when Watari had suggested it, just ring him up and arrange to meet him that had been the plan. Instead he'd gotten tongue tied and left the person he had called hanging on the line for several minutes before chickening out and hanging up the phone. He looked across the table struggling to meet the amber eyes which were looking at him kindly with understanding.

"Maybe you should visit his house instead Tsu? It'll be hard for him not to know it's you when you're standing on his door step!" was the next suggestion. The small owl known as 003 gave a quiet hoot as if he was agreeing, the other occupant of the room however simply sighed. Continuing to fiddle with the business card once again turning it around and around by its corners looking deep in thought. The movement stilled after a few painfully long minutes followed by a louder sigh and the creaking of the chair as the older shinigami got to his feet and began pacing back and forth. The bespectacled blonde and his feather friend watching in wonderment at what was going through the others mind, but not knowing how to ask. There was thing however which was plain to see etched onto the brunette's face, the fact that turning up at the doctor's home seemed to fill him with dread. Which considering the doctor's track record for trying to seduce him at every opportunity was hardly surprising in itself, especially when the man had such difficulty accepting himself it was near impossible for him to accept the silver blondes sexual advances. Beginning to feel like he had said something wrong Watari picked up the telephone from where it currently lay abandoned, and came up with another idea. "Or I could call him for you? I've never had a conversation with a serial killer before you know. It would be a new experience for me." He was about to hit redial when Tsuzuki practically leapt at him and snatched the phone away from him in a mad panic.

"No! Don't do that he's a very busy man we can't keep ringing him up at all hours of the day and night, what he's got an early start at work…" he trailed off when he realised what he was saying. Since when did he care about inconveniencing a man like Kazutaka Muraki of all people? Purple eyes fell to the phone now cradled in his hands and he glared at it, when he'd been alive they hadn't of had phones. When he had died he wasn't really away of their existence either and if truth be known he wasn't even sure he liked the invention. No matter what you were doing or what time it was anybody who had the appropriate number could just invade your privacy, besides it wasn't his house and he didn't want to run up the phone bill of the elderly couple whom he rented his room from it wouldn't leave a good impression. Especially with Tatsumi always finding excuses to dock his wages he doubt he'd be able to afford to pay them back for a huge bill. The sudden warmth of a hand being placed over his own brought him out of his internal monologue and he looked at his friend who was looking at him with concern in his normally jovial gaze.

"Tsu you did tell him you would contact him, he's probably wondering why you haven't been in touch yet. You know I normally wouldn't defend a man like that…" He scrunched up his expression as he tried to come up with a suitable word, "I want to say something nice but I really can't so let's just pretend I did ok? Now where was I, hmm, ah yes? I wouldn't normally say this sort of thing, but you shouldn't have told him you would get in touch if you had no intention of doing so. Honestly it's not a very nice thing to do getting somebody's hopes up like that even if he is a criminal master mind." The long haired man's tone was stern but not unkind. "I agreed to help you with this because you convinced me you thought you could get the guy to redeem himself, and you know what they say in for a penny in for a pound. You are going to go round to that man's house tomorrow Asato Tsuzuki even if I have to drag you there kicking and screaming and you are going to apologise for making him wait so long. Do I make myself clear?" Watari had begun wagging his finger in his friend's direction for full effect during his lecture while the brunette simply stared at the table. There was silence and for a minute nothing stirred and then there was a small nod of acknowledgement and Watari let go of his colleague's hand with a wide smile on his face. Having already bounced back to his usual happy go lucky self. "Now it's getting awfully late so I should be going home now, don't worry bout Bon I'll keep him out of your hair. You just worry bout keeping that perverted doctor out of your pants ok?" with that last cheeky comment the blonde half walked have bounced to the front door leaving an blushing brunette in his wake, he gave a wave and a suggestive wink as he opened the kitchen door to make his way down the hallway and out through the front door.

Poor Tsuzuki hadn't known what to say in response to that last remark and decided to just try to forget about it and worry about in the morning. With that settled in his mind he followed his friend out of the small kitchen instead going to the stairs where he would go to his room and gladly retire to his comfortable bed for the night. Becoming more and more convinced he was going to live to regret his decision, but knowing that Watari was right. He'd started this and he had to see it to the end, even if it killed him a second time. After all if his soul was worth redeeming in the eyes of everyone at the Judgement Bureau then surely Muraki's soul was worth it to? It was with these thoughts whirling around and around in his head that he clambered between the covers of his futon and tried to get some sleep. Tossing and turning several times until he managed to get into a comfortable position and quickly fell into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
